In the winter, the appropriate amount of ductwork insulation will help your forced-air heating equipment deliver the warmest air possible to every room. Insulation is most important to install on duct runs that travel through the attic, garage, or other unheated space, though it can have benefits anywhere your ducts are located.
Without ductwork insulation, your home can’t have optimum energy efficiency. In fact, 10 to 30 percent of the energy required to heat the air can be lost through heat conduction. Your heating equipment must then make up for this energy loss by working harder and longer to keep your Connecticut home at a comfortable temperature during cold winter days.
You might be able to tell if you need additional ductwork insulation if you place your hand up to a supply register and the air feels lukewarm. This “cold blow” effect is especially evident in rooms that are far from the furnace and therefore need the air to travel the longest distance.
Rigid fiber board insulation can withstand high temperatures, so it’s the most common type of insulation for this application. Insulating ability of insulation is measured in heat flow resistance, or R-value. Rigid fiber board offers an R-value of R-4 for every inch of thickness.
The recommended amount of ductwork insulation for ducts running through the attic of Northeast homes is R-6 to R-11. This means you need at least 1.5 inches of rigid fiber board to meet the minimum requirement
Ducts running through heated spaces are only exposed to room temperature air, so heat conduction isn’t as much of an issue. Still, at least R-2 or a half-inch of ductwork insulation should be installed to prevent condensation on the ductwork walls.
The insulation you have installed on your ductwork will help keep your heated air as warm as possible for the balance of this winter. If you have central air conditioning, the insulation will also help keep the air cool in the summer, making the investment in ductwork insulation a year-round benefit. Contact Glasco Heating & Air Conditioning for more information about adding ductwork insulation to your Connecticut home.
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Glasco Heating & Air Conditioning services South Windsor, Connecticut and the surrounding areas.